Solar radiation sensor and system including same for measuring solar radiation distribution

Abstract

A solar radiation sensor comprises a semispherical or spherical body member formed with a plurality of radially-extending passageways leading to individual solar-radiation sensors individually oriented and shielded so as to intercept only solar radiation progressing along the radial lines towards the detectors. In one described embodiment, the detectors are recessed within the body member at the bottom of their respective bores, and in a second described embodiment the detectors are all formed in a flat face of the body member and receive the solar radiations by means of fiber optical elements disposed within the bores.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for measuring solar radiation distribution comprising: a sensor having a plurality of individual, directional, solar radiation detectors oriented radially around at least one-half of a spherical surface and individually shielded so as to simultaneously intercept only solar radiation progressing along radial lines with respect to said surfaces; a maximum radiation selector circuit which selects the peak output from all said detectors to provide a measurement of the direct solar radiation; and means for providing a measurement of the direct solar radiation intensity, comprising, a neighbour selector circuit which selects the detectors nearest to the one having the peak output, an averager circuit which averages the outputs of the detectors selected by said neighbour selector circuit, and a subtractor circuit which subtracts the output of said averager circuit from that of the detector having the peak output. 
     
     
       2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor further includes a body member having an outer face defining said spherical surface and formed with a plurality of radially-extending, radiation-conducting passageways leading to said solar-radiation detectors and shielding same against all solar radiation except that progressing along said radial lines. 
     
     
       3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said body member is of material which is substantially non-conducting with respect to solar radiation, said radiation-conducting passageways being bores extending radially through the body member from its outer face to the solar radiation detectors. 
     
     
       4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the body member further includes an optical fiber element in each bore for conducting the solar radiations intercepted thereby to their respective solar radiation detectors. 
     
     
       5. The system according to claim 2, wherein said body member is of semispherical configuration. 
     
     
       6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the underface of the semispherical body member is substantially flat, and said solar radiation detectors are disposed on said flat underface. 
     
     
       7. The system according to claim 5, further including a semispherical transparent cover overlying the outer face of the body member. 
     
     
       8. The system according to claim 5, wherein there are two of said semispherical body members in back-to-back relationship so as to define a sensor of spherical configuration. 
     
     
       9. The system according to claim 2, wherein said body member is of spherical configuration. 
     
     
       10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said means for producing a measurement of the direct solar radiation intensity further includes a second averager circuit which is effective, if more than one detector outputs a peak reading, to average the outputs thereof and to supply the averaged output to said subtractor circuit.